Method and system for delivering a voice mail notification to a subscriber using cellular phone network

ABSTRACT

A method and system of the present invention delivers a voice mail notification to a subscriber of a voice mail system to indicate that a voice mail message is waiting in the subscriber mailbox. The voice mail system cellular phone network. The voice mail notification typically includes the calling party number and the name of the calling party if available, and an index. This is forwarded through the cellular phone network to the subscriber to indicate that a voice mail message is waiting in a subscriber mailbox. Subscribers can retrieve a specific message from the Voice Mail System.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a method and system of delivering avoice mail notification to a subscriber of a voice mail system toindicate that a voice mail message is waiting in a subscriber mailbox.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently some wireless services offer message waiting and similarservices where various types of messages can be stored in a subscribermailbox of a voice mail system and then delivered through a wirelesscommunication network such as a cellular telephone network after a callis specifically made to a voice mail system to retrieve the messages. Inprior systems, the number of stored messages can be determined bylooking on the display of a phone that has been powered-on, and viewingthe number of messages that are waiting in the voice mail system.However, knowing only the number of messages stored in a voice mailboxis not efficient for active users and subscribers who need up-to-dateinformation for business, education and other purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore desirable if a wireless communication network, such asthe cellular telephone network, could forward a voice mail messagenotification (or message waiting indicator) to a subscriber of a voicemail system indicating that the subscriber has one or more voice mailmessages waiting in the subscriber mailbox. In the present invention,the voice mail system can generate a voice mail notification thatincludes the calling number of the party that left the voice mailmessage, if known, the name of the caller, and an index listing thevarious calls so that a subscriber can scroll through the calls andchoose a desired call. This caller identity information can be forwardedas a packet of information to a cellular network.

A messaging center in the cellular network receives the voice mailnotification, which includes calling number ID, potentially the callername (if available) and the index of the voice mail. The messagingcenter then forwards the notification to a (MSC) mobile switchingcenter, which in turn forwards the voice mail notification to a basestation. The information is then forwarded to a cellular phone operatedby a subscriber. Typically, the subscriber's cellular phone must beregistered with the cellular phone network before a voice mailnotification is sent. Also, the message center may communicate with thehome location register to determine the location of the subscriber whois to receive the voice mail notification. The home location registermaintains a record of the location of any subscriber as long as thesubscriber has a cellular phone or other similar wireless device that isregistered with the system.

The cellular phone typically will have a storage device and display forstoring and displaying a plurality of voice mail notifications. Thedisplay can show the calling party number, and if known, the callingparty name after it receives the voice mail notification, as well as anindex which includes an appended number corresponding to the voice mail.The cellular phone preferably stores within the phone an index of allvoice mail messages stored in the subscriber mailbox based on the voicemail notification it receives. The display then can be scrolled toindicate the various identities of the stored messages. The cellularphone used by a subscriber can be an IS 136 phone. The subscriber canretrieve a specific message by highlighting a specific message and thenpressing a send button positioned on the phone. The mobile network thenforwards the particular voice mail message to the subscriber. The mobilenetwork than facilitates the message retrieval to the subscriber device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention and its mode of operation will be more clearly understoodfrom the following detailed description when read with the appendeddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of a cellular switching system,its logical entities as well as its relative connection with the publicswitched telephone network, a private base station and a voice mailsystem operatively connected for communication with the cellular networkfor delivering a voice mail notification to a subscriber;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a cellular phone showing a storagedevice for listing items of voice mail notification and a display forshowing this information.

FIG. 3 shows a high level flow chart depicting one example of theinvention in operation;

FIG. 4 shows a high level block diagram of a private base stationseparated into identifiable circuit sections;

Throughout the drawings, the same element when shown in more that onefigure is designated by the same reference numeral.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a simplified block diagram of acellular switching system forming part of a wireless cellular phonenetwork, its logical entities as well as the relative connection withthe public switched telephone network and a private base station. Amessaging center receives a small packet of information, correspondingto a voice mail notification, also called a message waiting indicatorfrom a voice mail system, indicating that a subscriber has a voice mailmessage waiting in a subscriber mailbox, [along with the index of thevoice mail, the calling number ID, the calling party name, an theMIN--Mobile Identification Number]. This voice mail notification isforwarded to a mobile wireless device, in the illustrated embodiment acellular telephone belonging to a subscriber of the voice mail system.Other wireless devices could also be used, including one and two-waywireless pagers. The cellular concept is well known and is described ingeneral in the Bell System Technical Journal, Volume 58, Number 1,January 1979, and specifically in an article entitled The CellularConcept by V. H. MacDonald, on pages 15 through 41 of this journal, thedisclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Included within the cellular switching system is mobile station (MS) 10,mobile switching center (MSC) 12, the public telephone switched network(PSIN) 14, a cellular base station (BCS) 13, a home location register(HLR) 15, a visiting location register (VLR) 16, a private base stationvisiting location register (P-VLR) 30, and a private base station (PBS)20 used in conjunction with a premises. A subscriber station telephoneset 19 is illustratively shown connected to the public telephoneswitched network 14 in a well known manner. In this particular example,the private base station 20 is illustrated as part of a residentialpremises, shown with the dotted lines at 98. A mobile station 10 in theform of the cellular phone is shown outside the premises. A messagingcenter is illustrated by block 100, and is connected to the voice mailsystem (VMS) 102, the Home Location Register 15, and all MobileSwitching Centers 18 in the network via Signalling System 7 (SS7), whichis a separate system, but could be integral to the cellular network.Although a private base station is not essential for practicing theinvention, the use of private base stations in now commonplace, and thedescription proceeds with the disclosure of a private base station.

For clarity, mobile switching center 12 is illustratively shownconnected to mobile switching center 18 and network operation controller(NOC) 17. The mobile switching center 18 is part of the overall cellularsystems operation and may similarly have a home location register, avisiting location register, a P-VLR, as well as multiple cellular basestations associated therewith. It is understood that other mobileswitching centers also may be part of the cellular system. The networkoperation controller provides overall control and thereby ensures thatthe operation of the whole cellular system is supported and serviced.

The mobile station 10 and base station 20 are designed to operate in acellular system in accordance with the Telecommunications IndustryAssociation (TIA) Interim Standard (IS)-136, dated December 1994.

The mobile switching center 12 performs all the switching functionsrelated to call delivery and is interconnected to the public telephoneswitched network 14, the home location register 15, the visitinglocation register 16 and the cellular base station 13.

The home location register 15 maintains a data base, profile record andcall routing information or a pointer to the call routing informationfor all mobile stations in a particular assigned home area. The visitinglocation register 16 maintains a data base for call routing informationor a pointer to the call routing information for those mobile stationswhich are visiting its assigned area of coverage and have activeregistration with the associated MSC.

The private base station visiting location register 30 performs theinterface functions between a private base station, such as station 20,and both the home location register 15 and the visiting locationregister 16 for holding both call routing information and, order orregistered position information for the mobile stations that arecurrently registered with the private base station. The private basestation visiting location register 30 is also responsible foradministering spectrum utilization and operations of the private basestation 20.

The functions for the private base station visiting location register 30may be conveniently summarized as follows:

1. Authorize new private base station operation.

2. Download private base station operating parameters and performsoperation administration.

3. Authenticate all calls received from private base station.

4. Perform Registration Notification task to HLR/VLR when network updateis received from private base station.

5. Perform mobile station inactive task to HLR/VLR when networkcancellation is received from private base station.

The private base station 20 qualifies for private (or non-public) modetime-division-multiple-access (TDMA) cellular operation under IS-136cellular radio interface, which permits a cellular mobile station toregister with a private base station to receive or originate callsthrough a land-line connected to the public telephone switched networkinstead of through a cellular base station, such as cellular basestation 13, connected in the regular public cellular system.Specifically, this radio interface provides the digital control channelin accordance with TIA-IS-136. 1 and the traffic channels and controlchannel in accordance with TIA IS-136.2 for communication with themobile station. A modem interface between the private base station andthe private base station visiting location register also is supported bythe radio interface.

As shown in FIG. 1, a voice mail system 102 is operatively incommunication with the mobile switching center 12 and visitor locationregister 16 as well as the messaging center 100. When a call is made toa subscriber of the voice mail system 102, from a calling party 104 andthe subscriber, does not answer, the mobile switching center 12 canswitch the call to the voice mail system 102 which requests the callingparty 104 to leave a message in a subscriber mailbox 106. The voice mailsystem 102 can be a separate system apart from the public switchedtelephone network 14, part of the public switched telephone network,orintegral with the cellular telephone network 9.

The small packet of information which corresponds to the voice mailnotification contains the number of the calling party, and if known, thename of the calling party, and the voice mail index. This informationcan be obtained by means well known to those skilled in the art. Thispacket of information is sent as a voice mail notification to themessaging center 100. The messaging center through its interactiondetermines the correct mobile switching center 12 and forwards themessage. The mobile switching center 12 then forwards the message to thecellular base station 13 to the subscriber, who has a cellular phone orother mobile device that can display the voice mail notification, e.g.,such as the calling party and the name of the calling party, as well asthe index. If the subscriber is using a cellular phone with advancedfeatures, then much of the information contained in the voice mailnotification can be forwarded along a digital control channel. Examplesof a type of cellular phone that can be used with the present inventionincludes an IS-136 cellular phone.

The cellular phone includes a storage device 110 and display 112 asshown schematically in FIG. 2, which stores the various voice mailnotifications received from the network and displays this information onthe display, typically on an LCD screen. Typically, the call number ofthe calling party and if known, the name of the calling party will bedisplayed, as well as an index having numbers appended corresponding tothe message in the mailbox.

As illustrated, the display 112 includes a large screen, to allow morethan one party and number to be displayed, as well as an appended numbercorresponding to the voice mail message index. For example, the voicemailbox 106 may have seven messages waiting. The display has twomessages displayed, indicating party Joe and party Harry, respectivelymessages 6 and 7 (the index) and the respective telephone numbers.

The telephone includes two up and down scroll key buttons 120, 122 and asend button 124 or it can have soft keys to scroll up and down. The userof the phone can scroll up and down through the messages. When aparticular message is desired, it is highlighted, as indicated by thedotted lines 126, and the send button 124 is then depressed. Theparticular highlighted message, in this case the message from Joe.Naturally, if the subscriber knows a particular message which is desiredsuch as message no. 5, messages can be scrolled until message no. 5 ishighlighted. The send button 24 is depressed and message no. 5retrieved.

One example of the method used to retrieve the voice mail message isexplained below. A message can be highlighted by depressing the scrollkeys or soft keys, one soft key corresponding to an up button, and asecond soft key corresponding to a down button. When a particularmessage is highlighted, a send or retrieve button could be depressed, oranother soft key depressed once or twice. As soon as the send orretrieve button is depressed, the phone dials the voice mail system andcommunicates with the system, and instructs it to play the specifiedmessage.

FIG. 3 shows a basic flow chart illustrating one method that can be usedfor the present invention. For purposes of clarity, the method isdescribed beginning with numerals starting in the 200 series. Asillustrated, a calling party 104 makes a call (Block 200) which is notanswered (Block 202). The call is switched to the voice mail system(Block 204). The calling party leaves a voice mail message (Block 206)and stores that message in the subscriber mailbox (Block 208). The voicemail system then generates a voice mail notification in the form of asmall packet of information such as the MIN--Mobile IdentificationNumber, calling number, if known, the name of the calling party, and theindex (Block 210). The voice mail notification is then forwarded to amessaging center of a cellular telephone network (Block 212). The mobileswitching center then receives the voice mail notification (Block 214)and forwards it to a base station which transmits the notification bywireless means to a cellular telephone owned by a subscriber of thevoice mail system (Block 216).

There is now described a private base station that can be used inconjunction with the present invention. Private base stations arebecoming more common because they can save money for subscribers forotherwise expensive cellular services.

The private base station 20 is limited to a very low level oftransmitted power of restricting its coverage range to a relative smallarea. This allows the private base station to reuse the same radiofrequency spectrum used by the macro cellular systems as long as thefrequency of use selected by the private base station is different fromthe cell for the regular public or macro cellular system in whose areaof coverage the private base station is located. The operating frequencyspectrum for the private base station is selected in a way that insuresno interference to the macro cellular system. This is achieved bydirecting the private base station to perform channel scanning andinterference measurements before selecting its operating frequencies.While operating in its normal mode awaiting receipt of an incoming callor an off-hoke request from a registered mobile station, the privatebase station 20 continually broadcasts digital control channelinformation containing its identity and system parameters.

An IS-136 compliant mobile station can search for a private basestation's control channel transmission using a number of techniques. Oneof these may be based on the mobile station's prior knowledge of theprivate base station's existence. Another may be in response to a mobilestation user manually directing the mobile station to search for theprivate base station. In yet another technique the mobile station, uponfinding the control channel of the private base station, automaticallygoes through a series of controlled procedures to obtain registrationwith the private base station.

Once a mobile station, for example, station 10, obtains a successfulregistration with the private base station 20, the private base station20 makes a modem connection to the private base station visitinglocation register 30 to update the mobile station's temporary linedialing number (TLDN). The temporary line dialing number in this casewill be the private base station's landline number (LLN). Hence, when anincoming call is directed to a particular mobile station, informationincluding the temporary line dialing number for this mobile station isaccessed from the private base station visiting locating register 30through the home location register 15 or the visiting location register16 and the call routed to the private base station's LLN. It is alsounderstood that the temporary line dialing number may be stored ineither the home location register 15 or the visiting location register16, and the mobile switching center 12 then accesses this TLDN from thisregister. The private base station 20 detects the ring for an incomingcall and sends an alerting signal or page to the registered mobilestation. Following the mobile station's response to the alerting signal,private base station 20 establishes a traffic channel for the mobilestation and generates an off-hook condition to connect the incoming callthrough the private base station to the mobile station.

The private base station 20 supports the registering of multiple mobilestations and provides a personalized call delivery feature for eachregistered mobile station. In order to provide the personalized calldelivery feature, during the TLDN update for the mobile station at theprivate base station visiting location register 30, additionalinformation elements, i.e., digits, are added to the TLDN update fordistinguishing a particular mobile station with the private base station20. During the registration of a mobile station with the private basestation, a local unique address is generated at the private basestation. This local unique address may be either advantageouslygenerated from the mobile station identification number contained ineach mobile station or generated from an ordered position assigned bythe private base station for each portable station registered with theprivate base station.

Thus by way of illustrative example of the operation of the orderedposition registration, the mobile station that registers with theprivate base station 20 is inserted in registered position 1 by theprivate base station visiting location register 30, and the secondmobile station is inserted in registered position 2 by the private basestation visiting location register 30 and so forth. This orderedposition information is advantageously treated as the local uniqueaddress or a sub-address by the private base station 20 for each mobilestation registered with it. A distinct identity of binary digits foreach mobile station distinguishing it from all other mobile stationsregistered with private base station 20 is obtained thereby.

The private base station receives the binary digits describing the orderof registered position in the same manner as caller-ID delivery isachieved. The ordered position information is appended to the caller-IDmessage that accompanies an incoming ring signal or is appended to thetime slot allocated for the caller-ID message when such message is notpresent. Switching offices that provide caller ID messages to atelephone station capable of decoding and storing the incoming telephonenumber are either shown or described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,649 whichissued to D. Sheinbein on Jul. 7, 1981.

Knowing the order of registered position, the private base station alongwith the help of a mobile station user's profile stored in the privatebase station can support additional features like.

1. Caller name display on the phone;

2. distinctive alerting;

3. Call blocking;

4. Incoming call log; and

5. Telephone answering device/message support.

Shown in FIG. 4 is a high-level block diagram of private base station 20separated into identifiable circuit sections. A radio frequency (RF)circuit 21 performs the radio frequency signal processing. Included inthis circuit is a radio frequency receiver section which receives theradio frequency signal from the mobile stations 10 and 11 and, afterappropriate filtering and down conversion, produces I and Q signal foran RF CODEC 22 which is connected to the RF circuit 21. A radiofrequency transmit section in RF circuit receives the I and Q signalsfrom the RF CODEC 22, converts these signals to the appropriate radiofrequency range and amplifies them for wireless transmission via antenna23.

The RF CODEC 22 performs analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of the I andQ signals received in the receiver section of the RF circuit 21 anddigital-to-analog (D/A) conversion of the I and Q signals provided tothe transmitter section of the RF circuit 21. The RF CODEC 22 alsoperforms modulation for the transmission path.

Connected to the RF CODEC 22 is a digital signal processor (DSP) 23which performs all the baseband signal processing for the private basestation applications. This involves speech encoding/decoing,time-division-multiple-access framing/deframing, channelencoding/decoding, and other modem functions such as, for example,automatic gain control, symbol timing recovery, synchronization, and thelike. The DSP 23 also communicates with a microcontroller 24 forexchanging control messages. A user CODEC 25 performs conversion ofdigitally sampled speech signals to analog speech signals and alsoperforms conversion of analog speech signals to digitally sampled speechsignals.

Connected to the user CODEC 25 could be a switch (not shown) used forswitching the private base station into communication with the wirelesscellular network 19 for the land-line PSTN 14. The switch could beconnected to a second cellular circuit (not shown), and in parallel withRF unit 21 and a hybrid and line interface circuits interface section 26which performs the required functions for interfacing the private basestation 20 to the public switched telephone network 14. These includesuch functions and circuits as, for example, switch-hook operations,hybrid, ring detect, line termination, on/off hook signal interfacesignals and the like. The microcontroller 24 performs the callprocessing functions between the private base station 20 and anyregistered mobile stations as well as all other control functions thatare required for operation of the private base station 20. LEDs 27provide visual feedback to a user who makes entries at the private basestation. Buttons 28 connect to the microcontroller 24 and are used inmaking the entries in the private base station 20. Once such entry, asdescribed later herein, is that made by the primary user of the basestation who direct this base station to register a mobile station forthe first time.

This private base station visiting location register 30 may begeographically located away from or co-located with either a visitinglocation register or a home location register, with which it receivesand provides private base station information. Moreover, the functionsprovided by the private base station visiting location register 30 alsomay be integrated into a visiting location register or a home locationregister, and such operation is hereby anticipated. The elementsemployed in the private base station register typically can include acomputer modem control interface modules, disk storage unit and aplurality of databases.

Data communication are provided between multiple private base stationsand the private base station visiting location register through thepublic telephone switched network. In providing this communication, anynumber of well known protocols that exists in the industry today may beused. By way of example, modem protocols such as V.22, V.22 bis or Bell212 are all suitable for communications between the modem and a privatebase station through the public telephone switched network. It is alsopossible to have a packet data protocol provide the two-waycommunications requirement. For example, an X.25 packet data protocolmay be used in providing this communication.

The databases contain specific information. Such as frequencyallocations of surrounding cellular systems and information of privatebase stations operating parameters determined by the private basestation's location. Examples of a private base station operatingparameters are its operating frequency, transmitted power, authorizationtime, and the like. A Database could also contain mobile station orderof registered position information with the private base station andalso private base station profiles. Examples of private base stationprofiles are "Call Waiting" and "Caller ID" that are provided by thepublic telephone switched network, and also any private base stationlocation register 30. It is to be understood that other databasesproviding additional services or tasks also may be interfaced with thecomputer via a peripheral control interface module.

The disk storage contains operational information that is applicable tothe cellular system in general, such as operation parameters that arerequired for interfacing the private base station visiting locationregister with home location register and visiting location register.

A mobile station, such as mobile station 10, gains access to a privatebase station, such as private base station 20 through aregistration/network update process.

A private base station is able to provide distinctive alerting for aregistered mobile station. The user of a registered mobile station canhave, for example, a distinctive ringing sound (chosen from a group ofring sounds) associated with a particular calling party stored in his orher directory. Distinctive ringing is illustratively described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,995,075. When an incoming call is from the particular callingparty, the private base station is able alert the mobile station usingthe distinct ringing sound.

A private base station is also able to provide a number of otheradvantageous functions based on obtaining an order of registeredposition for each of mobile stations. Features such as call blocking, anincoming call log, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,460, and atelephone answering function with personalized mailboxes are easilyprovided. For call blocking, the user has a choice of blocking anincoming call which number matches one of specified numbers stored inthe directory. The incoming call log is advantageously provided in theprivate base station for each of the registered mobile station users.And the private base station allows personalized greetings to be storedin a mailbox for each of the registered mobile stations. When anincoming call is directed to a particular mobile station and the user ofthis station does not respond, this personalized greeting is played tothe calling party by the private base station.

The advantages and beneficial features of the present invention nowpermits a voice mail notification to be forwarded from the network orprivate voice mail system to a messaging center which then forward thevoice mail notification through the mobile switching center and basestation to a cellular telephone.

What has been described is merely illustrative of the present invention.Other applications to wireless telephones, computers or othercommunication systems other than the disclosed system are contemplatedas being within the knowledge of one skilled in the art and may beutilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

That which is claimed:
 1. A method of delivering a voice mailnotification to a subscriber of a voice mail system to indicate that avoice mail message is waiting in a subscriber mailbox, comprising thesteps ofreceiving within a cellular phone network a voice mailnotification from a voice mail system that indicates a voice mailmessage is waiting for a subscriber, and forwarding, without subscriberintervention, the voice mail notification through the cellular phonenetwork to a cellular phone of the subscriber to indicate a voice mailmessage is waiting in a subscriber mailbox, and including incorporatingin the voice mail notification a calling number of the calling partythat left the voice mail message, a name of the calling party, if known,and an index of the voice mail messages waiting in the subscribermailbox.
 2. A method according to claim 1 including the step ofregistering the cellular phone with the cellular phone network before avoice mail notification is sent.
 3. A method according to claim 1including the step of receiving a voice mail notification within amessaging center of the cellular phone network and forwarding the voicemail notification through a mobile switching center to a cellulartelephone of the subscriber.
 4. A method according to claim 1 includingthe step of querying a home location register to determine the locationof a subscriber who is to receive the voice mail notification.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1 including the step of displaying the callingparty number and, if known, the calling party name on a cellular phonedisplay after receiving a voice mail notification from the cellularphone network.
 6. A method according to claim 5 including the step ofstoring within the cellular phone an index of all voice mail messagesstored in the subscriber mailbox.
 7. The method according to claim 1wherein the cellular phone comprises an IS 136 phone.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 1 including the step of scrolling through a series ofvoice mail notifications displayed on a display, highlighting a desiredvoice mail notification, and retrieving the voice mail message.
 9. Amethod according to claim 8 wherein the step of retrieving the voicemail message includes the step of dialing a voice mailbox and requestinga particular message be played.
 10. A system for delivering a voice mailnotification to a subscriber of a voice mail system to indicate that avoice mail message is waiting in a subscriber mailbox, comprisinga voicemail system having a subscriber mailbox in which voice mail messages arestored, and including means for generating a voice mail notificationhaving a calling number of the calling party that left the voice mailmessage in the voice mail system, if known, a name of the calling party,and an index of the voice mail messages waiting in the subscribermailbox, and a cellular phone network in communication with the voicemail system for receiving the generated voice mail notification from thevoice mail system and forwarding the voice mail notification to acellular phone of a subscriber without subscriber intervention.
 11. Asystem according to claim 10 including means for registering thecellular phone with the cellular phone network before a voice mailnotification is sent.
 12. A system according to claim 10 wherein thecellular phone network includes a messaging center for receiving thevoice mail notification from the voice mail system, and a mobileswitching center for receiving the voice mail notification from themessaging center and later forwarding to the subscriber.
 13. A systemaccording to claim 12 including a home location register for maintaininga record of the location of a subscriber so that the voice mailnotification can be forwarded to the subscriber.
 14. A system accordingto claim 10 wherein the cellular phone includes a display for displayingthe calling party number and if known, the calling party name.
 15. Asystem according to claim 10 including storing within the cellular phonean index of all voice mails stored within the subscriber mailbox.
 16. Asystem according to claim 10 wherein the cellular phone comprises an IS136 phone.
 17. A system according to claim 10 including a display, meansfor scrolling through a series of voice mail notifications displayed onthe display, means for highlighting the desired voice mail notificationand retrieving a voice mail message.
 18. A system according to claim 10wherein the means for retrieving the voice mail message includes meansfor dialing a voice mailbox and requesting a particular message to beplayed.